Trapped by Household Dolrums?

Have you ever watched a movie and wished that your life, too, could be as grand as the hero's life? That you could save the day, rescue the child, stop that disease, or be the woman whose man would fight to the death for her? Yeah, Hollywood perfection can really mess with your mind. The great struggles and the happy endings, the size 2 women and the men with broad shoulders and deep blue eyes make the average lives of Jane and John (or in my case, Jessica and Bill) seem less than incredible.

It's easy to fall into this feeling of small-ness. I have. But I don't like it. I know that there is something wrong with that type of thinking - that my life doesn't count for something. So, being me, I started researching to find a way out.

Did you know there is a Saint for Little Ways? Doesn't that sound nice? A Saint that lived a little life, followed her child-like heart and became a warrior for God all by doing her daily tasks with compassion. St. Therese of Lisieux is just such a Saint.

I need to take a serious lesson from her book (literally a book, Story of a Soul). During her time at the convent, she took all the smallest, most menial chores and did them happily. She was purposefully friendly to the sisters who were cruel. She prayed with a child's heart, maintaining that awe in Jesus that is usually found in the hearts of children who haven't been corrupted by the ways of the world.

Imagine how my household (and perhaps yours too) would change if I did the dishes day in and day out while smiling and singing? And that mountain of laundry? No problem! I'll do that and be thankful that I can provide my family with a mountain of clothing. Keeping the house clean would become a duty of honor, for what mother doesn't want to give her family a clean, safe and happy home? And when 5:00 rolls around, dinner would be ready. (Yeah, I'm laughing at that one. While I usually know what dinner is going to be, I have only rarely prepared it in a timely manner!)

So I'm challenging myself through the month of July (for starters) to look at the things that normally pull me down and change them to things I can do in thanksgiving to God for all He has given me. I remind my children to do things with a happy heart - and I need to remind my own heart to follow that rule as well. My children are learning to care for their things by doing laundry and dishes and vacuuming and they find an element of excitement in doing things that grown-ups do. Interesting. Why don't I feel that way anymore? Am I so blinded by my blessings that I can't see the beauty in the little ways of my life? What would happen if I returned my heart and mind to do things with the joy and passion of a child?

My life is not big. I'm a hero only to my children. My hero is my husband. I won't save the world, but I can save my family from the world. I probably won't ever be a size 2..or 4 or 6, but my husband loves me just the way I am. We wouldn't be appealing on the big screen, but I love our home videos of fun times with the kids. But I am hoping for a happy ending! I'll never give up on that!